A rare birth defect, in which a membranous sac containing part of the intestines protrudes through the navel. The condition may sometimes be diagnosed before birth by ultrasound examination. Exomphalos is treated by surgery, the success of which depends on the extent of the defect.
The term applied to a congenital HERNIA formed by the projection of abdominal organs through the UMBILICUS.
(umbilical hernia) n. a congenital defect in which the abdominal wall fails to close during fetal development and bowel, covered by peritoneum, herniates through the umbilical cord. Unlike *gastroschisis, it is associated with other structural fetal abnormalities. It can be corrected by surgery.
(CDH) herniation of the fetal abdominal organs into the fetal chest, which occurs in one in 2000–5000 live births. This leads to pulmonary *hypoplasia, which is the main cause of the associated high neonatal mortality. The risk of pulmonary hypoplasia is substantially greater where there is herniation of the liver into the thoracic cavity. CDH is commonly associated with additional structural abnormalities (cardiac, neural tube defects, and exomphalos), and the risk of chromosomal abnormality (*aneuploidy) is 10–20%. Demonstration of a fluid-filled bowel at the level of the heart on ultrasound is diagnostic.... congenital diaphragmatic hernia
n. a congenital defect in the abdominal wall, which during fetal development fails to close to the right of a normal umbilical cord. Bowel herniates through the defect and has no covering; free loops of bowel can be seen floating in the amniotic cavity on ultrasound. Treatment is surgical. Compare exomphalos.... gastroschisis
Health Encyclopedia